Blockchain technology for supply chain provenance: increasing supply chain efficiency and consumer trust

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the blockchain landscape in supply chain management by drawing insights from academic and industry literature. It identifies the key drivers, categorizes the products involved and highlights the business values achieved by early adopters of blockchain technology within the supply chain domain. Additionally, it explores fingerprinting techniques to establish a robust connection between physical products and the blockchain ledger. Design/methodology/approach The authors combined the interpretive sensemaking systematic literature review to offer insights into how organizations interpreted their business challenges and adopted blockchain technology in their specific supply chain context; content analysis (using Leximancer automated text mining software) for concept mapping visualization, facilitating the identification of key themes, trends and relationships, and qualitative thematic analysis (NVivo) for data organization, coding and enhancing the depth and efficiency of analysis. Findings The findings highlight the transformative potential of blockchain technology and offer valuable insights into its implementation in optimizing supply chain operations. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of product provenance information to consumers, with blockchain technology offering certainty and increasing customer loyalty toward brands that prioritize transparency. Research limitations/implications This research has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, there is a possibility that some relevant investigations may have been missed or omitted, which could impact the findings. In addition, the limited availability of literature on blockchain adoption in supply chains may restrict the scope of the conclusions. The evolving nature of blockchain adoption in supply chains also poses a limitation. As the technology is in its infancy, the authors expect that a rapidly emerging body of literature will provide more extensive evidence-based general conclusions in the future. Another limitation is the lack of information contrasting academic and industry research, which could have provided more balanced insights into the technology’s advancement. The authors attributed this limitation to the narrow collaborations between academia and industry in the field of blockchain for supply chain management. Practical implications Practitioners recognize the potential of blockchain in addressing industry-specific challenges, such as ensuring transparency and data provenance. Understanding the benefits achieved by early adopters can serve as a starting point for companies considering blockchain adoption. Blockchain technology can verify product origin, enable truthful certifications and comply with established standards, reinforcing trust among stakeholders and customers. Thus, implementing blockchain solutions can enhance brand reputation and consumer confidence by ensuring product authenticity and quality. Based on the results, companies can align their strategies and initiatives with their needs and expectations. Social implications In essence, the integration of blockchain technology within supply chain provenance initiatives not only influences economic aspects but also brings substantial social impacts by reinforcing consumer trust, encouraging sustainable and ethical practices, combating product counterfeiting, empowering stakeholders and contributing to a more responsible, transparent and progressive socioeconomic environment. Originality/value This study consolidates current knowledge on blockchain’s capacity and identifies the specific drivers and business values associated with early blockchain adoption in supply chain provenance. Furthermore, it underscores the critical role of product fingerprinting techniques in supporting blockchain for supply chain provenance, facilitating more robust and efficient supply chain operations.

Key antecedents and consequences of blockchain technology adoption in the wine industry: a multiple case study analysis

“…Transparency is another major outcome of adopting blockchain in wine SC as evidenced by Dogru and Peyrefitte (2022) and Sunmola et al (2021). Blockchain's ability to securely store data and provide end-to-end traceability (Han and Fang, 2024) can help businesses ensure the authenticity of their products, reducing the very common counterfeiting problem in the wine sector (Danese et al, 2021;Kapoor et al, 2021), and protect brand reputation and loyalty (Vazquez Melendez et al, 2024). BCT provides a high level of traceability of wines within the market.…”

“…So, I think blockchain gives an ethical guarantee basically. ” The above statements represent the contribution of BCT in providing an ethical guarantee and a transparent system (Vazquez Melendez et al ., 2024). Critics are pushing for mandatory ingredient labeling on wine bottles to give consumers more transparency about what they are consuming.…”

“…Vigneti Massa stands out for embedding a microchip in wine bottles to monitor temperature, a unique solution driven by the wine’s sensitivity to temperature fluctuations. This innovative approach aligns with the trend of using BCT in logistics to control parameters like temperature and humidity (Martínez-Castañeda and Feijoo, 2023; Haouari et al ., 2022), while this technology can enhance product differentiation and brand image (Vazquez Melendez et al ., 2024).…”